< Rite 1 >

1 Na mikolo oyo bilombe bazalaki koyangela, nzala makasi ezalaki kati na mokili. Mobali moko ya Beteleemi ya Yuda, elongo na mwasi na ye mpe bana na ye mibale ya mibali, bakendeki kovanda na mboka Moabi.
Now there came a time, in the days of the judges, when there was no food in the land. And a certain man went from Beth-lehem-judah, he and his wife and his two sons, to make a living-place in the country of Moab.
2 Kombo ya mobali yango ezalaki « Elimeleki; » kombo ya mwasi na ye ezalaki « Naomi; » mpe bakombo ya bana na ye ya mibali ezalaki « Maaloni » mpe « Kilioni. » Bazalaki bato ya libota ya Efrate mpe bawutaki na Beteleemi ya Yuda. Bakendeki na Moabi mpe bavandaki kuna.
And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and were there for some time.
3 Elimeleki, mobali ya Naomi, akufaki; mpe Naomi atikalaki ye moko elongo na bana na ye mibale ya mibali.
And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, came to his end; and only her two sons were with her.
4 Bana na ye mibale ya mibali babalaki basi ya Moabi: ya liboso, kombo na ye ezalaki « Oripa; » mpe ya mibale, « Rite. » Sima na bango kowumela kuna mibu pene zomi,
And they took two women of Moab as their wives: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth; and they went on living there for about ten years.
5 Maaloni mpe Kilioni bakufaki. Naomi atikalaki ye moko, azangaki bana na ye mibale ya mibali mpe mobali na ye.
And Mahlon and Chilion came to their end; and the woman was without her two sons and her husband.
6 Tango Naomi ayokaki wuta na Moabi ete Yawe ayaki mpo na kosunga bato na Ye na kopesa bango biloko ya kolia, ye elongo na babokilo na ye ya basi babongamaki mpo na kozonga na Yuda wuta na Moabi.
So she and her daughters-in-law got ready to go back from the country of Moab, for news had come to her in the country of Moab that the Lord, in mercy for his people, had given them food.
7 Elongo na babokilo na ye mibale ya basi, Naomi alongwaki na esika oyo azalaki kovanda mpe azwaki nzela mpo na kozonga na mokili ya Yuda.
And she went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah.
8 Bongo Naomi alobaki na babokilo na ye mibale ya basi: — Bozonga, moto na moto na ndako ya mama na ye. Tika ete Yawe asalela bino bolamu ndenge bosalaki bolamu epai ya bato oyo bakufaki mpe epai na ngai moko.
And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go back to your mothers' houses: may the Lord be good to you as you have been good to the dead and to me:
9 Tika ete Yawe apesa na moko na moko na bino bopemi kati na ndako ya mobali mosusu. Bongo Naomi apesaki bango beze, mpe balelaki makasi.
May the Lord give you rest in the houses of your husbands. Then she gave them a kiss; and they were weeping bitterly.
10 Sima, balobaki na ye: — Tokokende elongo na yo, epai ya bato na yo.
And they said to her, No, but we will go back with you to your people.
11 Kasi Naomi azongiselaki bango: — Bana na ngai ya basi, bozonga na bandako na bino. Mpo na nini kolanda ngai? Boni, nakoki lisusu kobota bana mibali oyo bakoki kozala mibali na bino?
But Naomi said, Go back, my daughters; why will you come with me? Have I more sons in my body, to become your husbands?
12 Bana na ngai, bozonga epai na bino; nakomi mobange makasi, nakokoka lisusu kobala te. Ata soki nakanisi ete nazali nanu na elikya ya kobota, mpe, na butu ya lelo, nasangisi nzoto na mobali, mpe naboti bana mibali,
Go back, my daughters, and go on your way; I am so old now that I may not have another husband. If I said, I have hopes, if I had a husband tonight, and might have sons,
13 boni, bokokoka penza kozela kino bakokola? Bokokoba kaka kozanga kobala mpo na bango? Te, bana na ngai! Mawa na ngai ezali makasi koleka mawa na bino, pamba te loboko na Yawe eyokisi ngai pasi makasi.
Would you keep yourselves till they were old enough? would you keep from having husbands for them? No, my daughters; but I am very sad for you that the hand of the Lord is against me.
14 Tango bayokaki bongo, balelaki lisusu. Boye Oripa apesaki mama-bokilo na ye beze mpe mbote ya suka. Kasi Rite akangamaki kaka na ye.
Then again they were weeping; and Orpah gave her mother-in-law a kiss, but Ruth would not be parted from her.
15 Naomi alobaki na Rite: — Tala, mbanda na yo azongi epai ya bato na ye mpe epai ya banzambe na ye; yo mpe zonga elongo na ye.
And Naomi said, See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods: go back after your sister-in-law.
16 Kasi Rite azongiselaki ye: — Kotindika ngai na makasi te ete natika yo to napengwa na nzela na yo; pamba te na esika nyonso oyo yo okokende nde ngai mpe nakokende, mpe na esika nyonso oyo yo okovanda nde ngai mpe nakovanda; bato na yo bakozala bato na ngai, mpe Nzambe na yo akozala Nzambe na ngai.
But Ruth said, Give up requesting me to go away from you, or to go back without you: for where you go I will go; and where you take your rest I will take my rest; your people will be my people, and your God my God.
17 Na esika oyo yo okokufa nde ngai mpe nakokufa, mpe na esika yango nde bakokunda ngai. Tika ete Yawe apesa ngai etumbu ya makasi soki eloko mosusu ekaboli biso longola kaka kufa.
Wherever death comes to you, death will come to me, and there will be my last resting-place; the Lord do so to me and more if we are parted by anything but death.
18 Tango Naomi amonaki ete Rite atingami kaka kokende na ye elongo, atikaki kotindika ye na makasi.
And when she saw that Ruth was strong in her purpose to go with her she said no more.
19 Yango wana, bango mibale bakendeki kino bakomaki na Beteleemi. Tango bakomaki na Beteleemi, engumba mobimba eyokaki mawa mpo na bango. Mpe basi batunaki: — Oyo Naomi?
So the two of them went on till they came to Beth-lehem. And when they came to Beth-lehem all the town was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20 Ye alobaki na bango: — Bobenga ngai lisusu Naomi te, kasi Mara; pamba te Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso ayokisi ngai mawa mingi.
And she said to them, Do not let my name be Naomi, but Mara, for the Ruler of all has given me a bitter fate.
21 Nazalaki na biloko ebele tango nakendeki, kasi Yawe azongisi ngai maboko pamba. Bongo mpo na nini kobenga ngai lisusu Naomi? Yawe ayokisi ngai pasi, mpe Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso ayokisi ngai mawa.
I went out full, and the Lord has sent me back again with nothing; why do you give me the name Naomi, seeing that the Lord has given witness against me, and the Ruler of all has sent sorrow on me?
22 Ndenge wana nde Naomi azongaki na Yuda wuta na Moabi, elongo na Rite, moto ya Moabi, bokilo na ye ya mwasi. Bakomaki na Beteleemi, na ebandeli ya tango oyo babukaka bambuma ya orje.
So Naomi came back out of the country of Moab, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her; and they came to Beth-lehem in the first days of the grain-cutting.

< Rite 1 >